The present invention relates to children""s toys and more particularly to dolls and stuffed animals which have removable clothing and accessories and which contain a storage space for storing such accessories and clothing when not in use.
Dolls have been popular toys for children for many years. Dolls which have removable accessories and clothing have also been popular. Many times such a doll has a number of sets of accessories and clothing available. During play a child can dress such a doll in one set of accessories and clothing, then remove the first set and replace it with a second set to give the doll a new look. One common problem with dolls which have removable accessories and clothing is preventing the loss of the various accessories and articles of doll clothing. Trunks and chests of drawers have been provided in which to store doll accessories and clothing. The net effect has always been the same. Once the accessories and articles of clothing are separated from the doll, they are frequently misplaced or permanently lost.
The present invention provides a simple solution to the problem of missing accessories and articles of doll clothing. The accessories and clothing are simply stored inside the body cavity of the stuffed doll. A securable opening in the back of the doll allows accessories and clothing to be stored inside the doll until they are needed. Since the doll accessories and clothing are always contained within the doll itself when they are not in use, it is less likely that they will be misplaced or lost. As a further benefit of the present invention, a child does not have to gather up accessories and clothing to match the doll when it is time to play. The accessories and clothing are already present inside the doll. If a child wants to take the doll away from his or her room or the family residence, the doll""s accessories and clothing are always available for play at the new location. When it is time for the child to return home, he or she merely returns all of the accessories and articles of clothing not being worn by the doll to the storage compartment inside the doll for the trip home. The present invention is also the perfect toy for an extended trip on public transportation. The extra accessories and clothing are safely stored inside the doll until the child decides to dress and undress the doll. The doll of the present invention is not restricted to a human form or shape but can take the form of stuffed animals, cartoon characters or other fanciful figures.
In recent years, there has been an increasing public awareness of the need to make all children""s toys safer. In the past, even dolls could become xe2x80x9cweaponsxe2x80x9d if they were molded of a hard material. A child could hurt another child by striking the child with the doll. In some cases, injury could result when a child threw a doll formed or molded of a hard material at another child. The doll of the present invention is manufactured from a soft material such as cloth and filled with a soft stuffing. In the alternative, the doll is molded from a soft and pliable plastic material. In either case, the doll of the present invention is a safe toy for a small child.
Thus, as will appear, the present invention fulfills a long time need for a stuffed doll which provides a simple arrangement for storing the accessories and clothing associated with such a doll to prevent the accessories and clothing from being misplaced or lost. Further, the present invention is a safe toy for a small child.
The present invention describes a method and apparatus for a doll with a built in storage compartment in the back side of said doll having a closeable opening to provide access to doll clothes and accessories, wherein the aforementioned are always maintained in the storage compartment until ready for use thus obviating loss or misplacement of these items.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a stuffed doll which provides a compartment for the storage of the doll""s accessories and clothing. It is a further object of the invention to provide a doll which is safe for small children.
These and further objects, as shall hereafter appear, are readily fulfilled by the present invention in a remarkably unexpected manner as will be readily discerned from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like numerals throughout.